Address boro growers' concern

Hundreds of farmers from three villages under Mauha union in Gouripur upazila demonstrated on Saturday, for the restoration of power supply to a deep tube-well used for boro cultivation in the area. Farmers said that they are already late for transplantation of saplings and that yield will be seriously hampered this season if power is not restored immediately.

In spite of making several attempts to contact the officials of Mymensingh Palli Biddhut Samity-3 at Shambhuganj Bazar in Mymensingh sadar upazila, the farmers could not do so. As around 400 farmers are dependent on the deep tube-well for their land and their livelihood, the decision by the authorities to shut down power like this and not respond to the farmers' queries, is quite appalling. 

Boro farmers are understandably upset with the situation as without timely transplantation, they may have to incur severe losses. The deputy general manager of the Biddhut Samity said that they had stopped power supply because of a case lodged over the ownership of the deep tube-well. Upon investigation, however, it was found that it was the present manager who ran the deep tube-well and so power is expected to be turned back on shortly.

We hope that this is indeed the case. However, why the farmers had to do without power all the while, when the authorities clearly know that they and their families completely depend on this one deep tube-well to water their land, which is their sustenance, is quite baffling.